Strawberry Ice
by Dastardly Intent
Summary: Who needs Yoh? ' Horohoro asked, 'I mean, he's an awesome guy, but who would want a slacker like him, when you can have a slacker like me! Am I right, or am I right? ' [HoroTamao][Oneshot][R&R!]


Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Shaman King.

Hello! Madame Fluffahz here! It's amazing, almost an entire year without posting. You guys must be pretty sick of me now, eh? Or maybe you haven't even noticed. Well, I don't blame you. I didn't realize until recently either. I know; I'm a sad excuse for a writer. Tons of stuff has happened to me. I moved to an awful place called Delaware, I've become obsessed with Fullmetal Alchemist, and I got a doggie from the pound! His name is Rufus, and he's cuddling next to me as I type this.

But none of that is of any importance. I wrote this over the course of…two days. I just spent five or six hours today; and maybe a half hour yesterday (sad, I know.). I love HoroTamao, but this actually began as a RenTamao fic (which I like, but not as much as Horo). The reason being that I found a piece of fanart featuring that couple and I suddenly felt like writing the scene out (the scene is kindadull though, it's pretty standard all around). Shaman King is definitely no longer my favorite fanfiction fandom. It kinda died when I realized how little fanfiction there is for strawberry ice…(Hm…maybe that's what I'll title this fanfiction…) Oh, well. People don't know a good thing when they see it. Wait…I'm getting off topic…anyway, this was supposed to be RenTamao, but I decided to change it because…Horo-kun is much more fun to write. If you'd like to see the picture that started it all, there's a link in my bio. I have no idea who drew it, but I have another piece from that artist, and I'd love to know who it is. So if you know…please tell me, I'm dying to know!

--Madame Fluffahz

* * *

As many of us do, Tamao couldn't help but wonder. Wonder what she would make for Yoh-sama's dinner that night, wonder why Yoh-sama didn't look at her the same why he looked at Anna-sama…wonder what was wrong with her… 

A small sigh escaped her pink lips. "Baka…" Tamao muttered to herself. Yoh and Anna were engaged, and nothing like her could change it…"This is a waste of time." She whispered, clutching her Kokkuri board and a 10 yen coin in two hands.

It was an invasion of privacy…

It might not come out right…

It was _wrong_…

…but her curiosity had the better of her.

Besides, this was her only chance to be alone. It was now or never.

The frail girl placed the board on the living room table and slapped the coin down upon it. Sliding her eyes closed, she spoke in a tiny, timid voice. "Is...is Yoh-sama in love with Anna-sama?"

She prayed with all her soul that the stars above would guide her finger toward the right corner of the board. Her heart thumped faster and faster as the seconds ticked away without any response.

Five seconds…

Ten seconds…

Once fifteen seconds passed, her heart sank. It didn't work? Suddenly a strong urge to cry from frustration overcame her rose-colored eyes. She peeked at her fingers; they remained in the same spot as they began. Just what she was afraid of. Another resigned sigh tumbled out of her mouth, and she allowed her hand to go limp completely. "I'm so stupid--" She felt her fingers stray from her control as the coin shook for a moment. "Ehh!"

She shut her eyes tight, and repeated her question in just under a scream. "Is Yoh-sama in love with Anna-sama!"

Once the movement stopped, she once again peered at the board; and once again, her heart sank. Her hand had slid to the left with a small scratching sound and pointed clearly to YES.

She let out a cry of anguish, burying her face in her hands. It was pretty obvious…she felt stupider for even trying. "Will anyone ever be in love _me_?

A soft clanking seemed to answer her and she brought her watery eyes to the metal coin. Bringing a shaky hand toward the quivering key to her future, she touched it with her fingertips and left her hand partially limp as she was instructed years before. Even though her sweaty hands had warmed the measly ten yen piece, it now felt chillingly cold. She brought it back to its starting place and…

"That stupid…PIRIKA! Pirika, are you here!"

"AH!" Tamao snapped her head toward the door. "U-Usui-san!" The pink haired girl blushed deeply, as if she was just caught doing something naughty. "Ohayo gozaimasu!" she cried, standing up and bowing deeply, but the reason for those actions weren't just for respect.

"Eh? Tamao, right?" The Ainu asked in a strangely strained tone "Is Pirika here?"

"Pirika-san? I don't believe she is. I was all by myself—"

"—Damn…" Horohoro muttered; leaning back against the door for balance until his legs gave out underneath him. He slid down painfully to the ground, leaving a trail of crimson blood on the door. Tamao lifted her cherry eyes to the near comatose boy in front of in shock. Sure, she had seen people much more mangled than him other times…but now she was all alone and she didn't know what to do.

"Ahh! U-Usui-san! Daijoubu?" The divinatory trainee asked, running over to her guest and flapping her arms like a demented chicken. She calmed herself enough to finally analyze his injuries. Cuts were everywhere on his forearms, his back was practically sliced open, and clear slash marred his handsome face…"What happened!"

"I was training…and—" He looked up slowly for a dramatic effect "—Hey! Where'd you go!"

"What?" Tamao returned with a large tub of water and a few clean cloths. She knelt down at his side and gently took his bloody arm.

"Nothing." The snowboarder spoke shortly, as not to show the flinching in his tone. "I was looking for my sister to help me out, but I didn't think I could get to the mountains too easily with these wounds…so thanks."

"You're welcome, but…Usui-san…what happened to you?" her brows began to furrow as his blood stained her towel and left red swirls in the tub of warm water.

"I was training" He repeated "and I was sparring with Ren. I said something about Pirika, and he went all monkey on me!" Horo said waving his free arm in the best circle he could manage. "If it weren't for my snowboard, I probably wouldn't even have an arm left."

"It's to be expected, Usui-san. Pirika-san does seem to like Tao-san very much…" Tamao commented innocently. _Monkey?_

"Whaa--! Nuh-uh!" He shook his head wildly "Over my dead body!"

"Please don't move so much, Usui-san, your face will bleed even more." Tamao began to wrap bandages around his arm. "Does it hurt?"

"My face!" He squeaked "That bastard touched my beautiful _face_!"

"Usui-san…" Tamao sweatdropped.

"Hmph!"

The bubblegum haired girl clasped his chin in a gentle grasp and slowly cleaned the dried blood from Horohoro's left cheek. His face was so close…she couldn't help but blush furiously.

"Ne, Tamao," Horohoro called "could you stop calling me Usui-san?"

"Eh!" She jumped "Why! Do you want me to call you Usui-sama?"

"Iie, iie" He refused quickly. "Just call me Horohoro, 'kay? All this formality makes me uncomfortable."

"H-hai, Horohoro" She said, now flushing an even darker red.

"What're you blushing for?" Horohoro asked brashly "Am I really /that/ hott? Oh, who am I kidding? Of course I am."

Tamao honestly didn't know how to answer. "Ah…heh?"

"Hm" A dog like smile appeared on his lips "I thought so."

Tamao pressed a cloth back to his face, this one covered in gauze. Horo let out a cry of pain, and she could help but think that he got what he deserved.

"Usu—Horohoro, could you please…remove your shirt?" She asked embarrassedly.

"I guess I could." Horohoro began as he unzipped his jacket "Too bad my back is cut up. I would have given you a strip tease."

Again, the poor hostess did not know how to answer. "Just…turn over onto your stomach…please" she added.

As the Ainu boy did as she asked, Tamao found herself wondering again. How did she get into this situation! Her Kokkuri board came to mind…

"Oh!" Tamao gasped, remembering her last prediction

"GYAAH! Be _careful_ with that thing!" Horohoro demanded after she jabbed him with gauze once she remembered.

"Ahh! Gomen nasai! I was just…" She couldn't say…that would give him license to mock for all eternity! And she knew he would. "Never mind."

The boy with the multi-colored hair shrugged and turned his head in the opposite direction that the adorable girl sat. He glanced at the low center table. "Ne, what's that thing on the table?"

Blinking at the coincidence in their thinking, the seer responded shyly. "It's…my Kokkuri board."

"Kokkuri? Like Ouiji boards?"

"Sort of…"

"So you're a fortune teller? That's cool. Were you trying to see something earlier?"

"Ahh…I suppose you could say that…" Tamao's blush returned. She never did read what the board had seen…

"What were you trying to find out?"

"N-nothing important," she responded quickly, "I was just practicing."

She had the shaman sit back up so she could finally finish bandaging his midsection. She moved to sit directly behind him, and began slowly wrapping around his…abdomen area.

Tamao couldn't thank enough Gods for making Tao-san attack Horohoro's back. Otherwise, she might have passed out from embarrassment. Even when her fingers simply brushed the firm muscle of his chest, her body temperature raised several degrees; just imagining herself having a good view of his chest made her feel faint.

"You were divining if Yoh was in love with Anna."

"What…?" Tamao asked dumbly, taken out of her less-than-innocent-thoughts quite thankfully.

"With your board. You were trying to see If Yoh was in love with Anna, right?" He repeated calmly.

"Oh…ah…no. No, I wasn't"

"You don't have to be embarrassed. I would too, if I were in your position."

"But I wasn't!" Tamao said defensively "It…it's easy to see that they're in love with each other. I don't need to divine for things like that. I would be stupid to even try."

The force behind her voice dwindled further until the last word was a small whisper.

"You're not real convincing."

Tamao didn't answer; she didn't even dare to breathe, lest the tears start now. She hooked the end of the bandage with a metallic clip and then she was finished. "I'm done."

"Um…thanks." He picked up his jacket and t-shirt; both were shredded worse than his back.

"Here, I'll sew it up for you. It's getting cold out now; you don't want to get sick." With that, she dashed to her room to retrieve some thread and a sewing needle.

Horohoro grunted as he lifted himself to his knees and crawled over to the Kokkuri board curiously. He examined the strange panel with its miscellaneous characters. It looked real confusing. Not his style. He noted the ten yen piece and peeked at the character underneath it. Now, Horohoro wasn't the sharpest pencil in the box…hell, he was probably the separate eraser in that analogy, but he was smart enough to recognize some of the confusing characters. The coin was sloppily placed, as if it was stopped in mid-reading, but he couldn't help but smile at the character it stopped on. Yuki. Snow. He brought the coin back to what he believed to be the starting position.

Tamao returned to the living room within a few seconds, and began the tedious work of sewing.

"I'm…uh…I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I mean, if it upset you…"

"No…it's alright."

If Horohoro were to have the IQ of an ant, then he would have stopped there and then and changed the subject. But, of course, that wasn't the case, but that it's that kind of idiocy that makes us love him. "I was right, though, right?"

If Tamao weren't so sweet and innocent, then she would have stopped sewing then and there and stuck that needle in his eye. But, of course, that wasn't the case, but it's that kind of compassion that makes us love her. "Why would the idea even come to you?"

"Because, it's pretty obvious. I think I've only met you two or three times before this and I already knew."

"R-really?"

"Yup."

"Oh…"

And then came the silence. It wasn't the comfortable silence that happened when both parties understood that nothing needed to be said. It was the awful silence that happened when one (or both) of the parties shoved their foot (or feet) into their mouth (or mouths).

Tamao was the first to speak again. "I'm sorry."

"Eh?" Horohoro responded brainlessly "For what?"

"I…don't know… It was just that…I doubted that you would say it, so I said it for you."

"Ahh…" For the first time in this wretched fanfiction, and probably in his entire life, Horohoro didn't know how to respond. "Th-thanks."

"You're welcome."

Yet another silence commenced. And yet again, Tamao broke the silence.

"You were right." Tamao said finally "I did divine that. And it said that they were…in love, I mean."

Taking a look at her wine colored eyes, the Ainu boy knew better than to crack a joke then. "I see."

"Don't just say 'I see'!" Tamao said in an almost angry voice as tears collected at her eyelashes. "You're supposed to try to cheer me up with a joke, that's why I'm telling you!"

She rubbed impatiently at her eyes. "I hate this…I…I'm sure that I love Yoh-sama HUNDREDS times more than Anna-sama." As the words passed out of her mouth she knew that it was a lie. No one could love Yoh-sama more than Anna-sama and vice versa. "God…just before you got here, I was divining whether or not that anyone would ever be in love me…I'm so pathetic…"

"No…Tamao, you don't know what you're talking about. At least you've been in love! I'm WAY less lucky in love than you, but I'm sure as hell not pathetic! I kick ass, so that means you kicks ass too!"

"Eh?"

"Who needs Yoh!" Horohoro asked "I mean, he's an awesome guy, but who would want a slacker like him, when you can have a slacker like me! Am I right, or am I right?"

Tamao let out a small laugh, "Right."

"See? If you ever feel like crying again, come to me whenever you want! And then you can reward me with some food?" Horohoro hinted not-too-subtly

"Hai." Tamao grinned

"A smile fits you so much better than a frown. Do you promise to smile more often!" He asked, pointing a finger at her delicate face.

"Hai, it's a promise."

"Damn straight!"

The light jingle of a cell phone broke the atmosphere of their spiel and Horohoro made sure to make the caller aware of it. "Eh? Now, Pirika?"

He sighed and snapped his phone closed. "Pirika says I hafta go home now…"

Tamao nodded and handed his fixed clothes back to him. Too bad, she was too distracted to get a good look at him…

With a final stupid smile, Horohoro returned to his feet with relative ease and headed back to the mountains.

"Horohoro…kun…" She smiled at the thought of him, and secretly thanked Tao-san for injuring him. Tamao heard a familiar shuffling and she returned to her spot at the Kokkuri board. Pressing the pads of her fingertips to the coin, she closed her eyes and waited for the yen to move. "YES." She read aloud curiously, wondering what the board meant.

* * *

Hmn…I don't think I liked this. It was too cliché, and it was pretty dull all around. For any of you who made it down to here, I commend and worship your greatness. Please review and tell me what particularly sucked in this story. I haven't read or watched this anime for the better part of a year or two so…personalities might be a bit off… it was hard to write Tamao's dialog because I wasn't sure how she would refer to the characters in the story. I mean, she seems like she would use the most respectful, though not over the top, form possible. Thus, the last names and then -san; but from what I've read from fanfictions she doesn't do that…I stuck to what I did because…this couple is really fanon. Tamao and Horohoro never talk to each other, the same goes with Ren and Tamao, and even Pirika and Ren. I wouldn't be surprised if Tamao didn't even know who Horohoro was. Ah, well. 

I hope you enjoyed it…somewhat. Please review and tell me your opinions!

--Madame Fluffahz


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